TCF21 promotes epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and cytoskeleton reorganization in uterine development and endometriosis - PubMed
5 days ago
- #endometriosis
- #TCF21
- #EMT
- TCF21 plays a critical role in promoting epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cytoskeleton reorganization in uterine development and endometriosis.
- Uterine-specific knockout of Tcf21 in mice leads to EMT of the endometrium and uterine dysplasia, while high TCF21 expression is observed in endometriosis patients.
- TCF21 transcriptionally activates genes like LIMK2, which is involved in cytoskeleton organization, enhancing cell invasion and adhesion in stromal cells.
- Depletion of Tcf21 in eutopic stromal cells reduces endometriotic lesions in mice, whereas overexpression increases endometriosis incidence, which can be mitigated by LIM kinase inhibitors.
- The study highlights the TCF21-LIMK2-cofilin axis as a potential target for endometriosis diagnosis and treatment.